Byron Falls High School Class of 2015

This semester hasn’t been what I’d thought it would be. I’m an upperclassman (finally!) and heading for my first prom. I should be the most excited girl in town. Instead there is death at every turn, some vampire cultists and a very lonely Valentine’s Day. I don’t know what I am more annoyed at.

Murders at school are pretty high up on my list of being annoyed it. It’s one thing when the vampires kill to survive. I never liked it but I understood that it’s hard for everyone to have perfect control and they have a right to survive. Then their ruling faction came to town and started a war. Not cool. Now they’re trying to re-awaken monsters that all kinds of supernaturals worked together to get rid of the first time. It’s gone too far and the vampires need taken down a peg. I have an idea but it’s crazy. Which might be why I can sell my estranged grandmother on it.

I can handle the vampire cultists, I’m going to make it really hard for them to move around at school. I know the loners feel like vampires are the answer but look at what’s happening to them. I don’t want to see Dwayne and Vilda dead, I need to talk to Dwayne. Plus the whole Ken thing there is no way this is what his father would have wanted. I might call my cousin to visit for the weekend so that Ken can talk to his father. I don’t think he ever moved on after the vampire vs zombie war. Maybe Thanos would help if I ask him but I don’t think he let Mr. Dustan speak through him like my cousin. Stupid Kelvin why couldn’t he be an ectomancer like everyone else in the family. At least I have an excuse…my mother literally burned it out of me.

I miss Olivia for this kind of stuff but she’s moved onto spending time with Zane’s clique. i know they are dealing with their own problems. Probably a lot less life threatening and running with me she was going to end up dead…so it’s easier to just let her go.

The hardest part of the whole year never mind vampires, cultists, crazy mothers, murders and the lack of control around the school has been the lack of Whitewood. It just hasn’t been the same. He was acting funny all of January. At first, I thought it was because of the Valentine’s disaster last year and he was trying really hard to remember and understand that it was an important couple date. Instead he took off without telling me where he was going before the 14th. I haven’t heard a word from him in over 2 months. Then he magically shows up again in the middle of the night He doesn’t even say hello nevermind it’s only Misha around and he already knows everything. All I get is a half assed hello while he’s getting dressed the next day. Even after everyone else left…I still didn’t even get a kiss or “I missed you Lolly”. I just get a lecture about how I should be on lock down so I can sit around and wait for the vampires to summon me. To top it all of he spent the last two months in the Heavens with all the star…literally all of them since they are hiding from the vampires. It wouldn’t have been a problem but he felt the need to hide this from me before he left instead of explaining what was going on. It makes me feel like something did happen that he knew was going to happen before he left….the lack of Vlad or any affection at all makes me feel like he’s guilty and can’t touch me right now. I know when we were fighting he said that I was the only important one and he didn’t care about the others…so why is it that I’m being kept at an arm’s length. Plus, right before then we were in a really weird place physically. We’re both over just kissing and he’s conceded that I have to be allowed to touch Vlad and Vlad has to touch as well. I thought we were in a transition from a little groping to…more. I think we’ve moved back to not even touching….

The Change of Winter/ first day back

I remember the first thing I heard when everything was over was the sound of rustling paper.

As the panic subsided, breathing started to regulate and the pounding in my ears from the rushing blood began to fade.

Despite that, I didn’t move for hours.

Laying face down on the branch of an oak tree I struggled with my fear. The fear that if I so much as breathed loudly it would come back and try to claw its way up to me again; the huge claws would find the needed holds to work their way up the trunk and that snarling, snapping mouth would find more meaty bits than just my ankle.

Just my ankle. Funny how perspective can change about such an important part of your body. I had fits over the gopher holes and hills in the football field last year. My lead trumpet had twisted his ankle after stepping in one right before our state competition. . . It was a disaster, our whole set was based off of his solos. After hounding maintenance and petitioning the principle multiple times we finally had the gophers “removed” and the field was re-landscaped. Smooth as silk for the next fall.

Just my ankle. . . It took me a while, but I pushed myself up and leaned back against the tree. It hurt like hell but I was able to bring both legs up on the branch, my injured right ankle crossed over my left thigh. I tried to see how bad the injury was, but it was difficult to determine much past the fact that it was swollen and covered with dry blood.

Useful assessment.

After giving up on the ankle I looked around the bottom of the tree. My sheet music was still swirling around in the wind, bits caught in bushes here and there, some even in the crowns of a few of the shorter trees. My flute case was destroyed, in pieces at the base of my oak. The huge dog didn’t take too kindly to having it bashed across his face when I used it to make him let go of my ankle and had destroyed it before he left. The brute had grabbed hold of me when I tried to climb up when he chased me down, but his bite wasn’t good enough to bring me to the ground right away. Swinging down desperately with that case I got lucky when some part of it connected with something soft, though I think it let go more out of surprise than pain.

The sun had started to set when I finally got the courage to shimmy down the trunk. I planned to support my weight on my good leg when I landed, but lost my balance on a root. I collapsed in a ball when pressure hit that ankle. I can’t remember if I screamed or not, the pain was so bad it killed every other sense I had for what seemed like an eternity. When I was able to think again I looked around for something, anything, to support my weight.

I came up with the grand idea to trap Morgan, like we had trapped Cricket, in a circle. This by itself sounds like a great plan. A fey, even an unseelie, one trapped can’t use her magic or physically harm us. Worst case it would slow her down long enough to ensnare with a braid of human hair.

I’m still working on collecting enough hair for it. Finding human friends willing to donate is the hard part. I need a spell for telling the difference…maybe I can get Olivia to help me make glasses to see who the veil is broken on or not.

Firstly, I need to figure out how to inlay a three metal circles in my ceiling…I might need Garrick for this. He’s so so on the magic and probably won’t recognize it for what it is. Devyn is in on the plan but I don’t trust him with a with tools in general.

I still need to collect the materials for the actual spell. There are only two material that are a little hard to come by. A branch from the Juniper tree and water from the pools of Avalon. The rest is easy and if I don’t have it Whitewood won’t miss it. I borrow components for spells and he’s never said anything before. Some girls hit up their older boyfriends for beer and drugs, I use mine to get salamander eyes and ground quartz.

The Juniper Tree was difficult to figure out, apparently there are seven evil unseelie Princes. For some reason Whitewood has been hiding this from me. I can’t figure out why? What am I going to do run off to the unseelie world to get at him for physically holding out on me. Well I am going to run off to the unseelie world but only for a weekend to get a tree branch that’s not revenge it’s magic practice. Pools of Avalon, I know where they are and with Warren hiding out somewhere else, probably kidnapped by some gate loving cult, it won’t be hard to sneak in.

I discovered some bad news just before we left for the unseelie world. Mishka can’t travel through Mistletoe’s world, I haven’t been able to decipher Mistletoe’s name yet, because he’s one of the weird werewolves. So we have to travel through Elder’s world. I’m really worried about this. Supposedly, you can live but the book explains that they hate that plan it’s really bleak.

Well, I have survived a trip to Blackthorn, Rowan, Elder, Juniper and Avalon all in one go. The unseelie world is really messed up. First we get there and Blackthorn’s world is kinda odd. Rowan, the anchor not the prince, was really creeped out too so he was moving us briskly. We must have been noticed though because he took off in a gallop and I swear I hear six hoof beats behind us. Not six horses or one and half horses. Six hooves hitting the ground. Thankfully we didn’t see anything though.

Rowan’s world was really quite. The prince this time not the anchor. I don’t know why it was quiet or why we never saw him. The book did say he was really lazy. I don’t care though it was one less hassle to deal with.

Elder’s world looked a lot like a forest out of a movie. Completely normal filled with completely normal woodland creatures. OH WAIT! NONE OF THEMHADEYES! It was soooooo creepy but we carried on with only one world to go to Juniper. Then Olivia spotted this patchwork mocking bird in a tree. It didn’t have the empty eyes but it was obviously made from a lot of different mocking birds. It flew fairly close to us and Mishka spiked it like a volleyball. It crashed into the ground it’s head barely attached and wing at the wrong angle. So much for stealth. He got to the bird first. We had something just short of a Mexican stand off for who go to keep the bird. Magic vs Werewolf. It wouldn’t have been pretty. Reason won the day though. I was the only one who could repair the bird and we needed to keep moving.

Juniper was were our luck of not running into any unseelie Princes failed. I swear we’d been there ten minutes when he found us. Feihelmden, the Prince of Juniper, Morgan’s Assassin and all around bad guy. My skin cracked. I’d been doing so well at holding the human form in the fey world but he broke my concentration. We were able to barter with him for safe passage. It cost us his brother’s birthday. Totally worth it. I wasn’t taking it home.

Mishka climbed the Juniper tree, once he found it. Feihelmden followed us the whole way…it was creepy. Then the werewolf and the panther anchor had a fight. He owes us four favors now and took us to Avalon. He likes his mother about as much as I like mine.

Avalon was a disaster and a half. I WOKE UP THESEELIEARMY! It was a complete accident. We saw Excalibur was we ended at the bottom of a dried up moat. Of course we were going to go play with it. The problem happened when I touched the sword and it came free. I blame my mother for this. It’s probably not Dad’s fault. Then there was a LION who was threatening us with his big claws when we entered the room with all the sleeping sidhe. I gave him the sword and claimed we were bringing it back to Arthurion. He bought it but who knew that was the key to waking them. We managed to get the water but almost had to take Arthurion home with us. Mishka talked him down, I think it’s a warrior bro thing. I’m not complaining. I was still really shaken up from the confirmed royal blood and unseelie world. We got a nice escort back to Byron Falls though. Easier trip out ever.

Olivia sent Whitewood pictures of the fey world with Feihelden in them…..Whitewood is going to be so pissed.

The Hunt

The morning sun crested over the hills and shined a bright light through the trees. A patchwork quilt of shadows was cast over the sleeping bodies of five naked teenagers. To the outside observer this would look like the lingering remnants of debauchery and drunken sex. And for the most part it was, except, there was no alcohol, nor sex. There was however, a plethora of excess and self-indulgence. The last evidence of this excess was the blood stained snow and the dead deer by the tree line. It could have been worse. It could have been a whole herd of sheep. But the Bryon Falls pack was small, and they hunted bigger game last night. The deer was a sacrifice necessary to fuel the hunt.

Mishka was the first to wake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest. A jolt of pain shot up his spine. The sounds of cracking bones soon followed. Suddenly the vision of last night’s adventures flooded his head. Mishka fought back the pain and squinted his eyes as flashes of what happened last night rushed back to him. First was Cricket, the blond Fae he and a few of his friends were trying to ensnare. The Fae was under a curse of sorts, possession by another Fae. From what Mishka could understand, Cricket has two personalities, Dream Cricket and Nightmare Cricket. Two separate beings, but also the same. Nightmare Cricket has possessed Dream Cricket, and was disguised as Dream Cricket. It made more sense when Lolly explained it to him yesterday. The best Mishka could figure out was the Fae were like the forest Fairies from his homeland. Although, they don’t like being called fairies. Mishka, Lolly, and Olivia were trying to catch Nightmare Cricket so they could free Dream Cricket. But during the fight Cricket managed to escaped their trap and started running. The next thing Mishka remembered was his instincts taking over. Instincts triggered by the moon and the scent of prey. There was moment of pain that coursed through his body as he ran. Mishka had experienced the sensation numerous times in the past. After the pain subsided, the tunnel vision set in. All Mishka could see was the Fae in front of him. Cricket sprinted through the forest like a terrified rabbit. Running and jumping in zigzagged patterns meant to confuse her pursuers. He remembered chasing the frightened Fae through the woods allowing his animal instincts to take over. He also remembered his friends chasing after Cricket as well. Although, they chased Cricket not to trap her, but to protect the Fae… “From whom?” Mishka thought to himself. “Oh, from me.” There was a moment of guilt as Mishka jumped to the inevitable conclusion of Cricket’s fate. Another vision quickly distracted Mishka from his guilt. This vision reminded Mishka of the others who joined the hunt. Friends he remembered running with from school – and the rival who joined the chase not as a competitor but as kin. After that everything was a blur. Mishka remember catching their prey, but he does not remember what happened to Cricket. That was part of the curse. Once the excitement of the hunt takes over, all sense of humanity was gone. All that was left was the raw primal animistic instincts. Mishka looked down and saw the blood on his hands. Then there was lingering taste of iron in his month. In a panic he looked around, afraid the blood was Cricket’s. He spotted the carcass of a completely devoured doe by the tree line. Two wolves pick at the remains, but soon lost their resolve and ran into the woods as Mishka started to stir. Mishka licked his lips and sniffed his hands. The blood smelled and tasted of deer. Mishka was relatively satisfied that the blood did not belong to Cricket, but he was not sure. It was possible that blood from the deer was masking the scent of the Fae. But from Mishka’s limited experience with the Fae, Cricket’s scent would take more than deer blood to cover. His running friends from school were lying with him on the snow-covered ground. Lolly and Olivia were not with them. Everyone was naked. Not by choice, but as a side effect of the lunar hangover. Together they rested as a pack, probably to conserve energy and share warmth during the cold night. Mishka stood up. Again his body protested. The original transformation was painful. But when it happens, there was usually enough adrenaline coursing through your body to dull the pain. The transformation back did not have that same luxury. Mishka walked over to the dead deer and examined it. “Thank you for your blessings Lesnik “ Mishka said quietly, unsure if Lesnik could hear his pray so far from his homeland. His thoughts then turned to Susi, the charming red head from school. She was the only female in the group. To the uninitiated, this would appear to be a dangerous place for a lone female. One female in the midst of four males governed by primal urges. However, she was as safe as every other member of the fledgling pack. She was asleep next to Donnel and Raul. Now that Mishka had moved, part of her body was exposed to the elements. She reacted to the cold by curling up into a ball and snuggled in closer to Donnel and Raul. “Who was the pack’s alpha?” Mishka thought to himself. He remembered taking lead during the hunt, the spot designated for the Alpha, but he was the new kid in town and he was the newest member of the pack, if they would have him. “Perhaps it was because it was his hunt, and the pack joined in after it had started was why they let him keep the alpha’s spot.” Mishka concluded. “Or was the pack without an Alpha?” Mishka decided now was not the time to reflect on pack’s hierarchy. The pack was safe for the moment. He shifted his focus on getting clothes and warmth. “I need to find out what happened to Cricket.” Mishka said to himself. “And apologize to Lolly.” She asked him for help, and he let her down. Mishka started to slowly trudged toward the cabin in search of clothes and blankets, and Lolly.

School Paper

Bats Posed to Soar High Over Rivalton

By Micah Kurt

Zane Brady returns to the helm for one more chance at bringing home a state title. Byron Falls was state champions eight years ago when Connor led the team to its first state title. The senior and team captain is excited at Byron Fall’s chances this year. “Practice hard, winning comes easy,” said Zane after practice this week. Later he added, “We’ve practiced hard during the offseason, and the sophomores and juniors have really stepped up their game.” However, the road to a state title will not be an easy one. This week the Byron Falls Bats travel to Rivalton to take on the Weasels. Rivalton is eager to settle the score from last years final regular season defeat to Byron Falls. Team captain Kurt Ulric is returning for his senior year with Rivalton. “Kurt is a strong player and has a smart eye for the game,“ Coach Morris was commented in saying after practice. However, Coach Morris feels confident the Bats are up for the challenge. Coach Morris went on to say, “We had a really good week of two-a-days, and practice all this week was productive and full of hard hitting football. All that hard work will pay off Friday night.” Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Rivalton High School Stadium. The Booster Club is hosting a pre-game tailgating event at Byron Falls stadium at 3:30 p.m. The team bus and caravan will depart at 4:30 p.m. Remember to wear your blue and silver in support of your Byron Falls Bats.

The letter Rocky Left (aka Mandy realized she left out major plot points, sorry about that)

Hey guys,
By now you’ve probably noticed I’ve disappered. Not long after I had the accident with the box and turned full Huldra, Nana told me that Full Huldras need to spend time in the Earth Fae realm, every so often. Expecialy when puberty hits. Truns out that the longer they stay away from home, the nuttier they go (figures). Being half, it was more of a formality, but not nesessity. Getting suddenly changed like I did, she wasn’t sure how soon I’d have to go, but the sooner the better. I have been putting it off. I can’t just dart in and back out, like other Fae Realms visits. It’s more reminicent of Orin needing to go home to recharge, he’d stay longer if he wasn’t still technicaly banished. The longer the visit is put off the longer the visit has to be. First visits are apparently the longest. I’m sure you can see why I’ve been putting it off. I’m not sure when I would get back. Could be tomorrow, or 10 years from now.
I can feel the madness creeping on the eddges of my brain. The wierdest things start getting blown out of porportion. I’m getting moodier and irrational …. or more so than my usual self. I’m writing this in one of my calmer moments. I know when I go it will probably be durring one of my bad moments. I’m sorry if I do something to make you up set or hurt you. To be honest I’d rather go prank Delano’s house than go on this undertaking. I hate the thought of leaving you short handed so I hope the items I left you are useful.
Here’s to hopeing the time difference works in my favor and I’m back before you even know I left, but not counting on it.

Hope to see you soon,
Rocky

P.S. IF you need any of my stuff while I’m gone, feel free. Just don’t scratch up my motorcycle.

I can’t put it off any longer. I’ve been putting it off for months. I kew I had to leave, but I didn’t want to. It’s not right, but it’s the way it has to be apparently. No one is going to miss me. They all have thier own lives. They don’t need me. I was hopping to graduate with the others, but looks like it’s not going to happen. I guess in reality no one thought I would, how many years was I voted most likely to drop out? Without Dustin I probably would have. At least he’s in a suportive enviroment with Mom and Dad. I think he’ll acttualy go to college after high school. I gave Hooch to Dustin’s little sister. They bonded really well, and I told Hooch that she is his to take care of. He knew I was leaving and handled it well. If he didn’t have her, he may have tried to follow. Trish and Trevor will be alright. Tiewaz was given the order to obey Lolly among his usual protect orders. He will only listen to Lolly and I. I left my Phone in Micah’s Locker. He’s going to need it.Lolly can explain how it works. Shame that I have to leave when so many cute guys joined the school. I left my Angel Monocle in Olivia’s Locker. I have a feeling she’ll need it. I left a not explaining how it works. The rest of my stuff is packed up in storage, If I ever come back I can get it. I hate leaving with the gates open and the Unseelie coming through, but what good could I do? I don’t have strong magics like Lolly, or can make useful potions like Olivia. I’m sure Micah will fill any void I leave be hind. He seems capable enough. I’ve been a side note for a while now. None of them even remembered my birthday. Nana is right. It’s no good putting it off.Scene Cut
Rocky and Nana Eleanor in full huldra form walking in the woods. There is a golden shimmer and they vanish.

The first day of school went well, accept for the whole Mr Delano getting read the riot act in his office. Things were loud and then the filing cabinet came through the window and well we decided it was time to leave.

Things Get Complicated

The trip home from Japan was uneventful, accept for the rough landing at the end, okay the crash. A couple of days in the hospital and I was left with a broken leg. The first day of school and Lolly would not let me drive, so I had to tell her that I was giving Sadie a ride. There I was in the limo with Lolly, Trixie and then Sadie. That was the quietest ride ever.

This summer has been Psychotic! Lolly’s Sweet 16th birthday almost had a star invasion. Brandon and I hid the giant ice swan sculpture at the lake. Some where along the line it came alive, and is living in the lake, not melting, had has been given dragon feet to waddle around on. Believe it or not but I had nothing to do with giving it feet. That was Olivia and Cricket’s doing. Olivia some how made Amber psychotically of her and Cricket’s friendship and only a promise from Warren to make sure Olivia and Cricket are never alone together kept her from blowing up the northern half of the continent. I got a job at the Vet office. It has a capture and release program for supernatural creatures. Catch them and then put them back in the right realm if possible. I thought the spirit realm had weird shit. Olivia’s Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin moved into town (may have been before summer), and around the 4th of July the Mom’s got into a Better home and gardens war to see who could out do each other with pseudo-patriotism celebration. Uncle Sam exploded over those 2 houses. This is what you get when Earth Fae and Glitter Fae compete with each other in non Fae areas. I blame Olivia’s mom for some how convincing my mom in to entering me (and Olivia) into Miss Teen Byron Falls. No Escape! I don’t know what I did to make mom so Mad at me. What ever it is mom I’m sorry and will never do it again! Just tell me what it was! Olivia was eliminated fairly early. Because Ami wasn’t there I ended up with second place. No one knew I knew how to play the Violin. My secret is out. I think if Lolly thought I would beat her, I would have had an “accident” That girl gets scary competitive. I wonder if that’s her star crazy showing up? So on the 4th there’s the hubbub of parade and usual craziness. I couldn’t find Kye all day (turned out he was partying by the pool) What I did find was Snotlings. They look like if you took a creature from the movie critters, shaved it and painted it green, you have a Snotling. The little Boogers were breaking into my room and trying to steal the Hope Chest! I called for Scooby gang back up and went to fight the intruders off. I’m kicking and swinging sending them flying when next thing I know I’m falling into a dark place of pain and agony. It felt like I was in there a life time, but it was probably a few moments. I vaguely remember being crawling out of the chest and blacking out due to pain or drugs. Maybe both. When I woke up Nana was there, caring for me. I had turned a full Huldra. I have a hole in my back my tail has gone crazier, and I look all stretched out. I was already tall. Now I feel twice as tall. Ok maybe a foot or so, but when your constantly hitting your head you feel like Gulliver in Lilliput. My guise looked awkward while it was still reshaping to my new form. Anorexic runway models watch out, here comes Rocky. I look starved to death, but I’m stronger and tougher. My already shoddy attention span is gone. Every thing looks different. I was so out of it, when I saw Warren I almost got my self blasted into oblivion. I accidently made a short joke at him. I forgot I was taller than him before the change. He hates being short, but is stuck with it. I didn’t mean to call him short, but it happened. Good thing I can run fast. Who needs a car to go from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds when you have a Huldra running for her life. On the 5th the Scooby gang got to hang out in Japan for a few weeks. Olivia and Zane were humping like rabbits a good portion of the time. Brandon got Lolly to cos-play and I pretty much ran free all over the place. It was fun. 3 weeks with no disasters to take care of. Best Vacation ever! The Plane ride both ways was horrid! Small, tight, confining places with no where to go or any thing to do. I’m pretty sure Olivia and Zane joined the Mile high club. When we got back I found out Kye is staying in California and wants me to move in with him… This summer seems to like kicking my feet out from under me. I told him I’d have to think about it. I’ve never been to Cali before. I mean, it can’t be worse than Spain or Japan so I’m not sure if it’s the area or the offer that scares me. We haven’t slept together yet and he wants me to move cross country with him. He’s a creature of the sea, and I a creature of the forest. I don’t know if it would work. I’ve not even told him yet I’m a full Huldra yet. I’m losing him to the sea. Do I drag it out and try and painfully hold on, Like trying to hold sea water in my hands; Or do I let him go and wish him all the happiness in the world?